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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is The Guardian.
Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. Here's part two then of our World Cup previews.
Chapter 2: What teams are in Group E of the World Cup 2026?
Groups E to H. Group E, Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao. There's a 40-year-old keeper and a 78-year-old manager in there. Group F, will the Netherlands implode as usual? Can Japan shine without Matoma? Tunisia and Graham Potter's Sweden there too. Group G looks nice for Belgium with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand. Now the All Blacks with a chance for another undefeated DVD.
And Sid joins us for Group H as Spain line up against Uruguay, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. This is the Guardian Football Weekly.
on the panel for this one. Barry Glendening, welcome. Hello, Max. And can I just say that after yesterday's disgracio, I have done an exhaustive search of Sunderland players at the World Cup and who they're playing for.
Excellent. I really hope you mess it up again. Jonathan Wilson, welcome. Morning, how are you doing? Very well, thank you. And Paul Watson, how are you? Hi, Max. Yeah, good, good. You're joining us for the first nine days of the World Cup, although you're not coming for day one, because why? I'm presenting the Football in Berkshire Awards, Max. Of course you are. Priorities.
And are you a veteran of the Football in Berkshire Awards?
It's my third year and I've retained the gig. Initially, they wanted Jeff Stelling, but he was otherwise engaged. And I've just sort of stuck in there and kept taking it. As long as Jeff keeps in work, I keep the Football in Berkshire Awards.
Good stuff. All right, well, let's get on with Group E. Then Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Germany managed by Julian Nagelsmann. Of course, they have won it before. Went out in the group stages last time, though. That memorable defeat to Japan. Curaçao. managed by Dick Advocat and the first World Cup for them. Ivory Coast, managed by Emma Fay. Best ever. Just the group stages.
Never got through to the knockouts 2006, 2010 and 2014. And Ecuador, managed by Sebastian Bacaceche. if I pronounced that correctly. Got to the last 16 in 06, knocked out in the group stages last time. Should we start with Germany then, Wilson? How do you see them faring?
I mean, they'll go through because the format of a tournament means it's almost impossible for them not to go through. But I don't think this is a good Germany side. And the problem we've seen with them the last two tournaments, is they don't have a centre-forward. And that is no different. They've left out Full Krug, which I guess makes sense, given he's barely played.
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Chapter 3: What challenges does Germany face in the World Cup?
They've got Diamant to play wide as well. So if you've got Ahmad and you've got Diamant, do you need him?
uh i think maybe just a sense of a of an old man with a big profile isn't necessarily the the best thing for squad harmony i i guess it's a logic nothing wrong barry with being an old man with a big profile just um uh let's talk about curacao dick advocate is back in charge but what happened there he retired he he was manager then he wasn't and then he was rehired two weeks ago
Yeah, so he led Curacao to the World Cup, a heroic effort, and then actually had to step down because his daughter was really not very well and he decided he just couldn't coach for the World Cup. He recommended his replacement, Fred Rutten, another Dutch coach, and he had a bit of a nightmare, Rutten. They got thrashed by Australia, beaten by China.
There's a sense the players didn't really want him in there. And the sponsors also were leaning on the Federation to bring back Advocat. And luckily, his daughter got a lot better, her health, and Advocat came back in. And he will be the oldest coach in World Cup history at 78. Funnily enough, when Julian Negelsman was born, Advocat was 40.
So Negelsman was literally in nappies when Advocat was coaching the Dutch women's national side. But the weird thing about this World Cup oldest coach is he's going to change hands three times during the tournament, the oldest coach, because Hugo Bruce of South Africa in the opening game will become the oldest coach of 74.
He's going to pass it a few hours later to Miroslav Kubek of Czechia, who is also 74 but a bit older. And then when Germany play Curacao in June the 14th, it goes to Advocat at 78. And I don't know if they'll ever beat that record, really.
And also, like, it helps advocate that he is a bit older still because he's playing third. So he gets older as well as every day goes by. Look, I mean, tell us a bit about this side. Like, getting there is everything, right, I presume, for Curacao. You couldn't envisage them winning a game or getting a point even? Or am I underestimating them?
No, because of how difficult this group is, I don't massively see them getting anywhere in this tournament. But it's a stronger side than you might envisage in a way. So it's an entirely Netherlands-raised squad. Only one player was born in Curaçao. That's Tahith Chong of Sheffield United. He scored that brilliant goal against Germany in there, friendly, which they did lose 4-1.
But yeah, it's an entirely sort of Netherlands flavoured side. Their qualification was amazing, really. They had this final game against Jamaica that they had to get a draw in Jamaica. And it was like you'd scripted it. Jamaica hit the woodwork three times. Curacao were clinging on. And then it went to a 90th minute and Curacao still clinging on.
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Chapter 4: How does the Netherlands plan to perform in Group F?
And we'll do the other four groups tomorrow.
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